The present invention relates generally to network communications, and more particularly to a system and method for squelching a recovered clock in an Ethernet network.
Network communications involve a number of different technologies, standards and protocols. Ethernet networks are perhaps the most pervasive type of network in use today. While becoming a de facto standard may have been based on history, Ethernet has evolved with the times to accommodate the networking needs of the present day.
The nature of the use of Ethernet networks has also changed over time. Communications involving the exchange of digital data have been growing exponentially since the advent and now widespread use of the Internet. A variety of new applications make use of Ethernet networks, including, for example, applications exchanging voice and/or video data. While some data transported by Ethernet networks is not time sensitive, other data is time sensitive or even time critical. In the case of time sensitive data, rigorous demands for predictable timing can be required of a network. Applications sensitive to the timing of data can include, for example, quality of service (QOS) and synchronization type applications. More specific applications include voice over internet protocol (VOIP), data center, and backhaul communication applications. A number of time sensitive type applications may make demands of networks not contemplated by the drafters and developers of standards related to such networks.